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Glossary
Hospice care includes any service that provides medical, emotional, spiritual, and social support for terminally-ill patients and their families.
Hospice care encompasses any service that provides medical, emotional, spiritual, and social support for terminally ill patients and their families. Unlike other types of health care, the goal of hospice isn’t to cure patients, but help them manage pain and other symptoms that affect their quality of life.
Hospice care can happen in a few different settings – in the patient's home, in a hospital, or in a long-term care facility. Some hospice care providers may also have their own free-standing facilities.
A hospice care team usually includes the patient’s primary care doctor (opens in new tab), a hospice physician, nurses, clinical social workers, counselors, and other caregivers. They provide medical services, drugs, supplies, and equipment for the patient. They also provide counseling and spiritual guidance for the patient and their family.